Baby mattress with attached side pads



y 0, 1967 H. M. KAUFMAN ETAL 3,321,779

BABY MATTRESS WITH ATTACHED SIDE PADS Filed April 11, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 as I INVENTORS HESTER M. KAUFMAN JOHN M. TABLE/2.

Wm, WWW/7% TTORNEYS y 30, 1967 H. M. KAUFMAN ETAL BABY MATTRESS WITH ATTACHED SIDE PADS 2 Siieets-Sheet 2 Filed April 11, 1966 Era/25' KAUFMAN TABL ER HESTER M.

. JOHN M B) Wm WWM% W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,321,779 BABY MATTRESS WITH ATTACHED SIDE PADS Hester M. Kaufman and John M. Tabler, both of 703 Bashford Lane, Alexandria, Va. 22314 Filed Apr. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 541,558 10 Claims. (Cl. -93) This invention relates to mattresses for infants and more particularly to mattresses of such type including attached protective side pads.

Contemporary beds or cribs for infants in wide usage include a plurality of vertical slats which extend upwardly around the mattress to prevent the infant from falling out of the crib. A separate padding which can be secured to the slats is often provided as a guard against bruises in the event the infant should fall or force has head against the slats. Such padding, however, must be connected to a number of the surounding slats in order to maintain its position and even then is easily dislodged. It is necessary to take the padding out of the way when the mattress is removed and it hinders making up the crib whereby sheets and covers are tucked in. In the event that one side of the crib can be lowered, the adjacent padding must be removed if it is not to obstruct lowering movement.

It is an object of this invention to provide a combined mattress and guard structure of a type which cooperates with the crib in a manner whereby it may be made up with facility and improved security; which additionally does not unduly obstruct the lowering of a side; and which moreover presents a self-contained unit that may be advantageously utilized for an infant apart from the crib.

Other objects, adaptabilities and capabilities will appear as the description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a mattress for a crib in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the mattress shown in the crib of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on lines IIIIII of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a modified mattress in accordance with the invention for a play pen;

FIGURE 5 shows in section an alternative construction of the mattress; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 showing a modified arrangement.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be noted that a mattress designated generally by reference character 10 includes a mattress portion 11 and four connected padded guard members 12. Connecting hinge members 14 secured the mattress portion 11 to the guard members 12, the hinge members 14 having a width which approximates but is preferably slightly smaller than the thickness of guard members 12. With this construction, when guard member 12 is pivoted to the position shown in broken lines in FIGURE 3 and snaps 15 are fastened, the mattress 10 assumes a more or less box shape with an open top. Preferably the mattress part 11 and the guard members 12 have foam rubber, elastomer, or similar resilient interiors 16 and 17, respectively, with washable plastic exteriors and 21, respectively. With the thickness of guard members 12 slightly exceeding the width of hinge members 14, it will be appreciated that the resilience of the interiors 17 of guard members 12 tends to force guard members away from the mattress portion 11. This provides a snug engagement of guard members 12 with the mattress portion 11 to hold blankets and sheets in place without, at the same time, unduly aifixing them so as to restrict unduly movement of the infant.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the guard members 12 tend to bear against the slats 24 of the crib so that direct connection of the guard members 12 to slats 24 is unnecessary. Not only is this an advantage, but there is the added convenience that a side of the crib 25 may be movable without having first to disengage the adjacent guard members 12.

As shown in FIGURE 3, hinge member 14 may be secured to the guard members 12 and the mattress part 11 by stitching 26 or other appropriate means as will occur to one skilled in the art.

FIGURE 4 shows a modification of the invention for a play pen wherein the pad 31 together with the side guards 32, which are connected thereto by hinge members, such as those shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, is similar to the described structure of mattress 10 except that the thickness of pad 31 is substantially less than that of mattress part 11. With such construction, when snaps 35 are fastened, the pad 31 together with side guards 32 fits into the play pen 36, as shown in FIGURE 4. If desired, further snaps 35a may be provided to secure the side guards 32 to the play pen 36.

FIGURE 5 shows in section an alternative construction wherein the mattress 40 comprises a single molded piece of foam rubber 41 or the like with indentations 42 providing the hinge members. The molding process may taken place within the plastic cover 44 to provide a bond between the foam rubber and cover through known techniques.

It is to be appreciated that for shipping purposes, the guard members 12 will normally be folded against mattress part 11 in a direction opposite to the fold shown in FIGURE 3. Because of the width of hinge members 14, it is possible to do so without undue stress which would otherwise exist by reason of the interference of guard members 12 with each other.

Fastening members, other than snaps 15, such as zippers shown in US. Patent No. 2,128,978, of Sept. 6, 1938, to R. H. Akin, may be used, if desired.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 except that hinge member 14a, although extending beyond mattress pad 20a the same distance as hinge member 14, is considerably wider and is secured substantially inboard at stitching 26a. This construction permits tucking sheets and blankets under the mattress. For certain types of form fitting sheets, this structure may be utilized, if desired, only at one end of the mat tress part or the corners. I

It is to be appreciated that the width and length dimensions of mattress part 11 are less than that normal for a convenional mattress by approximately the combined thickness of guard members 12.

While we have described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of other adaptations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A mattress for bady cribs or the like which comprises: a mattress part; hinge members projecting from the lower portion of said mattress part; and guard members connected to an extending from said hinge members whereby the general outline of a cross is formed by said mattress part, hinge members and guard members in flat position, and an open box-like structure is formed when said guard members extend upwardly relative to said mattress part; each of said hinge members projecting beyond said mattress part a distance approximating the thickness of its associated guard member, whereby when said guard members extend normally relative to said mattress part said guard members bear against the edges of said mattress part, the area of said mattress part together with the areas of the lower edges of said guard members being substantially equal to the mattress receiving area of said crib or the like.

2. A mattress in accordance with claim 1 wherein fastening means are provided on the edges of said guard members.

3. A mattress in accordance with claim 2 wherein said fastening means comprise snaps.

4. A mattress in accordance with claim 1 wherein said distance is slightly less than said thickness.

5. A mattress in accordance with claim 1 wherein said guard members comprise a covering of washable material and an interior of resilient foamed material.

6. A mattress in accordance with claim 1 comprising a mattress covering for said mattress part and said guard members of washable material, a said hinge member comprising washable material stitched on one side to the material covering said mattress part and on the other side to the material covering a said guard member.

7. A mattress in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mattress is integral and comprises a covering member surrounding a resilient material.

8. For combination with a receptacle for an infant, said receptacle including a mattress receiving area and at least one side extending normally therefrom, a mattress which comprises a mattress part, a hinge member projecting from the lower portion of said mattress part, and a guard member extending from said hinge member, the thickness of said guard member approximately the same as the Width of the projection of said hinge member beyond said mattress part, whereby when said guard member extends normally relative to said mattress part said guard member bears against the associated edge of said mattress part, the area of said mattress part together with the area of the lower edge of said guard member being substantially equal to the mattress receiving area therefor in said receptacle.

9. Padding for a play pen or the like which comprises: a pad; hinge members projecting from the lower portion of said pad; and side guards connected to and extending from said hinge members whereby the general outline of a cross is formed by said pad, hinge members and side guards in a fiat position and an open box-like structure is formed when said side guards extend upwardly relative to said pad; each of said hinge members projecting beyond said mattress part a distance approximating the thickness of its associated side guard, whereby when said guards extend normally to said pad said guards bear against the edges of said pad, the area of said pad together with the areas of the lower edges of said guards being substantially equal to the pad receiving area of said play pen or the like.

10. Padding in accordance with claim 9 wherein fastening means are provided on the edges of said side guards.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,128,978 9/1938 Akin 5-93 2,589,579 3/1952 Slayen 5--357 2,709,478 5/1955 Golding et al. 5-94 X 2,895,542 7/1959 Schutte 5339 X 3,018,492 1/1962 Rosen 5-93 3,137,870 6/1964 Fink 5--93 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MATTRESS FOR BABY CRIBS OF THE LIKE WHICH COMPRISES: A MATTRESS PART; HINGE MEMBERS PROJECTING FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID MATTRESS PART; AND GUARD MEMBERS CONNECTED TO AN EXTENDING FROM SAID HINGE MEMBERS WHEREBY THE GENERAL OUTLINE OF A CROSS IS FORMED BY SAID MATTRESS PART, HINGE MEMBERS AND GUARD MEMBERS IN FLAT POSITION, AND AN OPEN BOX-LIKE STRUCTURE IS FORMED WHEN SAID GUARD MEMBERS EXTEND UPWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID MATTRES PART; EACH OF SAID HINGE MEMBERS PROJECTING BEYOND SAID MATTRESS PART A DISTANCE APPROXIMATING THE THICKNESS OF ITS ASSOCIATED GUARD MEMBER, WHEREBY WHEN SAID GUARD MEMBERS EXTEND NORMALLY RELATIVE TO SAID MATTRESS PART SAID GUARD MEMBERS BEAR AGAINST THE EDGES OF SAID MATTRESS PART, THE AREA OF SAID MATTRESS PART TOGETHER WITH THE AREAS OF THE LOWER EDGES OF SAID GUARD MEMBERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE MATTRESS RECEIVING AREA OF SAID CRIB OF THE LIKE. 